African Penguins in the Desert! OdySea Aquarium Scottsdale

One journey I did not make as part of my South America & Africa Points Heist is a visit to Boulders Beach, a penguin sanctuary outside of Cape Town. Instead of seeing these beloved penguins as I did the first time I visited South Africa, I was scammed by SharkLady Adventures into not seeing Great Whites. Ms. TPOL was upset that she missed out on the penguins and I promised her that one day she would meet these adorable creatures. I did not think that encounter would take place in the desert. To my surprise, I learned that OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale has a penguin experience which allows visitors to interact directly with the penguins. For the nice price of $225 for two, we were allowed to visit the aquarium, hang out with the penguins, and get these yearbook photos with the penguins. Obviously seeing the penguins in their natural habitat is a more intimate experience and a far cheaper one, but I still recommend OdySea Aquarium if you didn’t have a chance to go to Boulders Beach.

The Aquarium

Besides the penguins, the best part of the aquarium is the bathroom. Why? See below:

That reflection is a man washing his hands, not peeing.

The Great Emperor Penguin

Nope, nope nope. I’m breeding.

The African Penguin

Look at these photos. This was worth the price of admission.

High School Graduation photo

TPOL’s TIP

You aren’t allowed to take your phone into the penguin experience, so the only way to get photos is to pay for the professional ones.